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Help I need new binos

Well after my elk hunt we spent a day in the unit we want to antelope hunt looking over bucks. Seen some dandies but learned real quick that I need to update glass to hunt out west. My buddy and I had 3 sets of Nikon binos with us, and a Leupold compact spotting scope. The binos all sucked. We could make out the antelope and which ones were bucks and does. But we just couldn't get a crisp clear picture of the animals. I have been researching binos and I'm still lost on what to get. What power binos do I need out west and whats some good mid range models? I can't spend $2K on binos yet but could do $400 or $500. So I am asking you experts what I need to look at. Thank you for any help

There are a substantial amount of good binos in your price range. Are you brand loyal? Does warranty matter? Are you going to go with a tripod for the binos to be placed on? ( really helps) makes the difference in glassing for minutes or hours. As far as your power is concerned its a personal preference. Do you plan to add a spotting scope in the future? Or want maximum zoom out of the binos to eliminate a spotter? 10's are a great all around bino. 15's are great if you plan to only use binos and want to cover some serious ground.

Just a few things to help you make your mind up and being able to focus on a certain "class" of binos is much easier than looking at the entire industry.

I'm not an expert and I can't afford $2000 either. However, I shopped around on the used market in some New York camera stores and found a pair of Leica 8-12 power for under $1000. I've had them for several years now and think they're great but heavier than you would want on a sheep hunt. I also have a set of 10x Zeiss that are lighter and are comparable in quality. Look through as many different brands as you can and go with the best ones that you can afford.

I would go with vortex too. I have 3 family members who have them and a friend who has them. All have used them for 3 seasons or so. They are a third the price of mine and I hate to say that I think that they are better! Don't get anything less then 10x40 for out west, let your spotter do the rest of the work.

I have the Leupold Olympics as well. I have had them for 2 years and love them. Great glass at a good price. The only knock on them is they are made in china. Hard to find a good pair of made in the USA binos for the 500.00 price range.

A bad day in the woods is better than a good day at work.
Shoot the best, Shoot PSE!

Check out the Cabelas Euro vision. I have had a pair for many years and finally decided a year ago to upgrade to some Swarovsky 10x42 EL.
Not the best choice I have ever made. The only difference I can see is the weight, Swaro's are lighter but not by a lot. I don't notice a difference in the optical quality.